Tale of the Ratpocalypse

Format: Commander

Commander: Vren, the Relentless

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 27

Deck overview

This deck is a Dimir control strategy led by Vren, the Relentless that weaponizes symmetrical sacrifice effects into massive asymmetric board states. Vren's static ability exiles opposing creatures whenever they would die, shutting down graveyard recursion and death triggers while feeding an end-step ability that spawns scaling Rat tokens. The deck utilizes a dense suite of edict creatures and spells to continuously wipe opposing boards while rapidly swelling a lethal swarm of Relentless Rat equivalents. Supporting engines like Grave Pact, Dictate of Erebos, and Opposition turn opposing development into card disadvantage and tempo starvation. Although the list foregoes fast infinite combos and universal tutors, its layered interaction and recursive board control allow it to grind down mid-power pods and close games via overwhelming combat pressure by Turn 8.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Accursed Marauder
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Ashnod's Altar
  • 1 Boggart Trawler // Boggart Bog
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Braids, Arisen Nightmare
  • 1 Braids, Cabal Minion
  • 1 Cavern of Souls
  • 1 Chronicle of Victory
  • 1 Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Counterspell
  • 1 Cover of Darkness
  • 1 Crippling Fear
  • 1 Curse of the Swine
  • 1 Cyclonic Rift
  • 1 Darkwater Catacombs
  • 1 Deadly Rollick
  • 1 Demon's Disciple
  • 1 Dictate of Erebos
  • 1 Dismember
  • 1 Dowsing Dagger // Lost Vale
  • 1 Drowned Catacomb
  • 1 Enduring Curiosity
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
  • 1 Fellwar Stone
  • 1 Flare of Malice
  • 1 Fleshbag Marauder
  • 1 Force of Negation
  • 1 Frantic Search
  • 1 Gloomlake Verge
  • 1 Grave Pact
  • 1 Innocent Blood
  • 6 Island
  • 1 Kindred Discovery
  • 1 Kindred Dominance
  • 1 Liliana's Triumph
  • 1 Lord Skitter, Sewer King
  • 1 Make an Example
  • 1 Mana Drain
  • 1 Merciless Executioner
  • 1 Mithril Coat
  • 1 Morphic Pool
  • 1 Mox Amber
  • 1 Mystic Remora
  • 1 Ogre Slumlord
  • 1 Opposition
  • 1 Otawara, Soaring City
  • 1 Patchwork Banner
  • 1 Phyrexian Altar
  • 1 Piper of the Swarm
  • 1 Plaguecrafter
  • 1 Polluted Delta
  • 1 Pongify
  • 1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
  • 1 Rapid Hybridization
  • 1 Reality Shift
  • 1 Reflecting Pool
  • 1 Rhystic Study
  • 1 Roaming Throne
  • 1 Season of Loss
  • 1 Sheoldred's Edict
  • 1 Shipwreck Marsh
  • 1 Skemfar Shadowsage
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Soul Shatter
  • 1 Sunken Hollow
  • 1 Sunken Ruins
  • 11 Swamp
  • 1 Swan Song
  • 1 Swarmyard
  • 1 Swarmyard Massacre
  • 1 Tainted Isle
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Three Tree City
  • 1 Throat Slitter
  • 1 Tombstone Stairwell
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail
  • 1 Underground Sea
  • 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
  • 1 Vona's Hunger
  • 1 Vren, the Relentless
  • 1 Watery Grave